Not just for teenagers and computer geeks anymore, blogs are now legitimate marketing tools that give online businesses a vehicle for staying in touch with their client base, while also providing a way for non-Internet-based companies to insert themselves into the Internet-based conversation.

With regular blog posts, you can keep your clients up-to-date on your business while establishing your expertise in your market’s online community. Now, I know a lot of you are whining saying that you already have enough to do. What with all the Tweeting and Facebooking and LinkedIning – not to mention the actual working – you’re spending too much time on your business as it is.

First of all, let’s be honest. All that Facebooking isn’t for business. Second, it’s a lot easier to regularly post on a blog than you think. Blog posts don’t have to be long. In fact, it’s better if they’re not. In general, people don’t read extensive articles online. They want short, sweet bits of information that they can get in a few quick paragraphs.

In fact, you don’t even have to write an entire article; upload interesting links and photos that relate to your market or blog theme, or write a quick blurb on an idea that didn’t quite make it into an article. Ta-da! You’ve posted.

For those of you who do have articles, a blog is a great place to showcase them. It’s also a great place for you to link your ideas back to when you’re commenting around the web. For example, if someone Tweets, “Why do I need a blog?” I can reply, “I just wrote an article about that!” include a link, and BOOM – new follower, another click-through on my blog and another name for my contact list.

Blogs are also great because they give you a place to:

• Send networking contacts for more information on your topic.
• Promote your affiliate connections.
• Advertise your products.
• Enlist people for you.
• Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts.
• Show off how much you know about your subject.
• Interact with readers and potential clients

Be sure that when people comment on your blogs, you comment back. When you show that not only are you an expert in your area, but that you are engaged in an ongoing conversation with your readers, other people will want to join in and be your friend too.